Track shunting apparatus



Nov. 26, 1935. P. P. soslNsKl l l TRACK SHUNTING APPARATUS Filed March 50, 1933 Fig. 2.'

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Patented Nov. 26, 1935 UNITED STATES new PATENT i OFFICE TRACK sHUN'rING APPARATUS Application March 30, 1933, Serial No. 663,443 9 claims.V (c1. 246-34) My invention relates to track shunting apparatus and more particularly tov apparatus for providing track circuit shunting by light weight rail vehicles.

I will describe several forms of apparatus embodying my invention, and will then point out the novel features thereof in claims.

In the accompanying drawing, Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic view showing one form of apparatus embodying my invention. Figs. 2, 3, and 4 are diagrammatic views showing modified forms of the apparatus illustrated inFig. 1, also embodying my invention.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts in each ofthe several Views.

Referring to Fig. l, the reference characters I and 2 designate the track rails of a section of track on which light weight rail vehicles are used. It will be understood that the rails I and 2 form part of a track circuit,-so that when the trackbecomes shunted by a car, protection to following traflic will be provided,in the usual manner. A rail car is represented diagrammatically by the axle A and wheels W. The axle A and wheels W form a low resistance shunting path from one to the other rail, once the lm on the rail surface is broken down.

The energy for breaking down the rail film is supplied by an axle transformer T having a primary winding 3 which is energized from a generator yGr driven by the motor M. Motor M is supplied' with current from the car battery CB. The axle A and wheels W represent a one-turn secondary forV transformer T, the circuit of which secondary is completed through rails I and 2 and the remaining axles of the car, in parallel, as Well as through the ballast resistance and any trackway apparatus connected across the tworails. Axle A is electrically insulated from the car body in order that all of the film breakdown current will be forced to flow between wheels W'and rails I and 2 without a portion of this current being by-passed through the body of the car.

It will now be apparent that if theV frequency of the current supplied from generator G is suf-Iiciently high, transformer T may be designed to produce a; voltage in its one turn secondary, of suflicient magnitude to break down the rail'fllm and to maintain the flow of an appreciable current between wheels W and the rails, thereby establishing a low resistance path for shunting the track.

In order that the car operator may know when adequate shunting. protection is being maintained, I have provided an indication relay K, energized through a rectifier N from winding on the axle transformer T1. Relay K is arranged to pick up when fllm breakdown current of a predetermined magnitude, as determined by safe 5 shunting considerations, ows in axle A, and to release when this current decreases below a safe value. As long as shunting protection is being provided by the apparatus, lamp L which is energized over front contact 5 of relay K, will remain 10 lighted.

Referring to Fig. 2, the apparatus shown there. in is similar to the apparatus of Fig. l, with the exception that a second generator G1 is provided for energizing a second primary winding l5 on the axle transformer T2. It has been found that although an appreciable voltage is needed for breaking down the rail film initially, once breakdown has occurred, much lower voltage will suice for maintaining a satisfactory shunting 20 path. To take advantage of this condition, a high frequency, low current generator G1 is provided for energizing the winding 6 to induce the relatively higher voltage required for breakdown, the low frequency, high current generator G Z5 supplying the current required for maintaining the low resistance of the shunting path. As a result, a saving `in the power consumed from the car battery is obtained, as well as a decrease in the size and capacity of transformer T2. 30

Condenser C1, in series with winding 6, is used to keep the low frequency current of generator` G out of the circuit of generator G1, and reactor X, in series vwith winding 3 has a similar effect with respect to the high frequency current of 35 generator G1. In addition, reactor X and condenser C1 serve as limiting impedances to prevent an overload on either of the two generato-rs. G or G1, The use of back contact of relay K is optional, and when this contact is used, gen- 40 erator G1 becomes effective for supplying the relatively higher breakdown voltage only when required by a decrease in the breakdown current below a safe value, resulting from an increase in the lm resistance. 45

Referring to Fig. 3, the operation of vthe apparatus shown in this figure is, under normal conditions., the same as in Fig. 1. However, when relay K releases due to poorv shunting, back contact 8 becomes closed to energize the motor de- 50.

v resulting in an impulse of secondary voltage which may be above the normal value. If, at the instant when contact I closes, the residual flux in the core of transformer T is of a polarity opposite to that which is determined by the instantaneous .polarity of the voltage applied across winding 3, a very rapid, forced change of flux will occur, resulting in an impulse of above normal secondary voltage for breaking down the nlm to aid the flow of the current which maintains the low resistance shunting path. As soon as the current flow is established, relay K will pick up, deenergizing the motor device F.

Referring to Fig. 4, the apparatus shown therein provides another method for at times supplying an impulse of increased secondary Voltage for film breakdown. When relay K releases, the interrupter I becomes energized over back contact I2, and direct current from the car battery is supplied periodically to winding II, over the periodically closed contact I3 of interrupter I. The flux supplied by winding II will at times accelerate the growth or the decay of flux supplied by winding 3, the acceleration being determined by the point of the flux cycle at which contact I 2 becomes closed or opened, with the result that impulses of increased secondary voltage will occur, to aid breakdown of the film. Operation of the interrupter I will cease when the shunting path is reestablished and relay K is picked up. The device I operates as an interrupter because when its contact I3 closes a low resistance shunt is closed around the winding of device I through winding II, whereupon contact I3 opens. This operation is repeated as long as contact I2 remains closed.

If both ends of a car are to be protected, the shunting apparatus should be duplicated at each end of the car, the forward and rear car axles being bo-th provided with the equipment, and one generator being used to energize both sets of apparatus.

One advantage of apparatus embodying my invention is that rail brushes are eliminated and the weight of the car effective at the running wheels is made use of for aiding to break down the rail film. Another advantage is that the shunting path includes no windings or electrical connections, but extends directly through an axle and wheel pair, the resistance of which, apart from the rail film resistance, is of negligible magnitude.

It will be understood that apparatus embodying my invention may also be applied to ordinary rail cars and locomotives, other than cars of light weight, to improve shunting under conditions wherein the ordinary wheel and axle shunt is inadequate. Also, it is not necessary that the vehicle to be protected have steel wheels, as a rubber tired car, having a conducting shell or tread on the outside surface of the tire for purposes of wear, such as a steel rim member electrically connected with the axle, can be protected, as well, with the apparatus disclosed.

Although I have herein shown and described only a few forms of apparatus embodying my invention, it is understood that various changes and modifications may be made therein within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In combination with a section of railway track and a rail vehicle, a track shunt for said track including an axle and a pair of running Wheels of the vehicle, said axle being electrically insulated from the body of the vehicle, a transformer for said axle in which said shunt forms a secondary of the transformer, a source of varying current, and a primary on said transformer energized from said source for inducing a voltage o across said shunt to break down the rail surface film thereby aiding to shunt said track.

2. In combination with a section of railway track and a rail vehicle, a track shunt on the vehicle including a wheel pair and an axle elecl0 trically insulated from the body of the vehicle, the wheels of said shunt being arranged to travel along the rails of said track, a transformer having a core which links said axle, a source of varying current, and a primary winding on the core l5 of said transformer energized from said source for inducing a voltage across. said shunt to break down the rail surface lm thereby aiding to shunt said track.

3. In combination with a section of railway zo track and a rail vehicle, a track shunt on the vehicle including a wheel pair and an axle electrically insulated from the body ofthe vehicle, the wheels of said shunt being arranged to travel along the rails of said track, a transformer 25 having a core which links said axle, a source of varying current, a primary winding on the core of said transformer energized from said source for inducing a voltage across said shunt to break down the rail surface iilm thereby aiding to shunt 30 said track, and an indicator on the vehicle responsive to current from said source flowing in said track shunt.

4. In combination with `a section of railway track and a rail vehicle, a tr-ack shunt on the 35 vehicle including a wheel pair and an axle electrically insulated from the body of the vehicle, the wheels of said shunt being arranged to travel along the rails of said track, a rst transformer having a core which links said axle, a 40 source of varying current, a primary winding on the core of said first transformer energized from said source for inducing a voltage across said shunt to break down the rail surface film thereby aiding to shunt said track, a second trans- 4:5l

former having a core which also links said axle, an indication winding on the core of said second transformer, and an indicator energized by current from said source flowing in said indication winding. 5o

5. In combination'with a section of railway track and a rail vehicle, a track shunt for said track including an axle and a pair of running Wheels of the vehicle, said axle being electrically insulated from the body of the vehicle, a 55 transformer having a core which links said axle,

a rst source of relatively high frequency and low current, a second source of relatively low frequency and high current, a first winding on said core energized from said first source' for 60 inducing a relatively high voltage across said shunt for breaking down the rail surface nlm, and a second winding on said lcore energized from said second source for inducing a relatively high current in said shunt for maintaining 65 the effectiveness of said track shunt following breakdown of said rail film.

6. In combination with a section of railway track and a rail vehicle, a track shunt for said track including an axle and a pair of running 70 wheels of the vehicle, said axle being electrically insulated from the body of the vehicle, a transformer having a core which links said axle,

a first source of relatively high frequency and low current, a second source of relatively low frequency and high current, a rst Winding on said core, a second winding on said core energized from said second source for inducing a relatively high current in said shunt for maintaining the effectiveness of rsaid track shunt following breakdown of said rail iilm, an indication relay responsive to the magnitude of the induced current from said second source flowing in said shunt, a normally open contact governed by said relay which becomes closed when said induced current decreases below a predetermined value, and a circuit including said contact for energizing said rst winding from said first source to induce a relatively high voltage across said shunt for breaking down said rail film.

7. In combination with a section of railway track and a rail vehicle, a track shunt for said track including an axle and a pair of running wheels of the vehicle, said aXle being electrically insulated from the body of the Vehicle, a transformer for said axle in which said shunt forms a secondary of the transformer, a source of varying current, a primary on said transformer, a circuit for energizing said primary from said source to induce rail lm breakdown current in said shunt, and an interrupter for periodically opening and closing said circuit for inducing an increased voltage to` aid i'llm breakdown when the residual flux in said transformer and the ilux set up by said primary oppose each other at the instant when said circuit becomes closed. i

8. In combination with a section of railway track and a rail vehicle, a track shuntfor said track including an axle and a pair of running wheels of the vehicle, said axle being electri cally insulated from the body of the vehicle, a transformer having a core which links said axle, a source of varying current, a primary winding energized from said source for inducing rail lm breakdown current. in said shunt, and means for periodically supplying unidirectional flux to said core to induce an increased voltage across said shunt to aid breakdown of the rail film when the flux set up by said primary Winding in the transformer core and said unidirectional flux are opposing atthe instant when said unidirectional flux is supplied. Y

9. In combination with a section of railway track and a rail vehicle, a track shunt for said track including an axle and a pair of running wheels of the vehicle, said axle being electrically insulated from the body of the vehicle, a transformer having a. core which links said axle, a rst source of varying current, a primary winding energized from said first source for inducing rail lm breakdown current in said shunt, an auxiliary winding on said core, a second source of direct current, and means for periodically supplying direct current from said second source to said auxiliary winding for causing an increased voltage to be induced across said shunt to aid breakdown of the rail lm when the ux set up by said primary winding in the transformer core and the flux set up by said auxiliary winding are opposing at the instant when said unidirectional flux is supplied.

PAUL P. SOSINSKI. 

